a lifestyle blog

Madewell

I’m sure this comes as a surprise to no one but my no-buy lasted all of …. oh, ten days? Then suddenly NastyGal is being acquired and marking all of their inventory down, and my poor hair desperately needs a new heat protectant, and I find the perfect striped tee AND I find the dream Madewell sweater dress for <$60 ….. you get the picture. Here are the items I broke my (very brief, very futile) fast on…

Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer – My hair is color-treated and damaged, so I constantly use oils and heat protectants and smoothers on it. However, I don’t have any products that are fine with being applied to dry hair, and my hair is never going to be wet/damp as often as my products want them to be. This oil primer will be my primary heat protectant. It was $28, but the bottle is humongous for a hair product.

Sephora Collection Make Up Remover Wipes – FYI, I actually ordered the yellow Yuzu wipes (which is what the link should direct to!), and they have been gentle and effective on my skin. If I’m home & just being lazy, I still splash my face with water after using them, but the leave a clean enough finish to use them after the gym without fear of lingering residue.

Nasty Gal Hungry Like the Wolf Dress – Full disclosure: I have no idea how this will fit, or what it will look like or feel like. It hasn’t come in yet & I’ve never ordered from Nasty Gal before. However, with their 40% off all inventory sales and a desperate desire to restock the dress section of my closet, I ordered two. This one ended up being $20, so I think it’s a fair gamble to potentially end up with a semiformal maxi for Summer that will show off one of the only body parts I’m not self-conscious about!

On Saturday I was finally able to see my girlfriends again for the first time in a couple of months (thanks, school & a full-time job!) and we played at Sephora before gorging ourselves on burgers and beer. I tried a few (a lot of) products and these are a few of my absolute, desperate omg must-buys for the future:

Maison Margiela ‘Replica’ Roller Ball in Lazy Sunday Morning ($28) – This is such a fresh, clean scent. The description is nothing I ever thought I’d like: “This floral fragrance combines notes of lily of the valley, patchouli, iris, and white musk to evoke a familiar but forgotten moment—a sun-drenched morning of relaxation.” I hate patchouli and musk, but I can’t smell those at all on my skin. I love it!

Urban Decay Naked Color Correcting Fluid ($28) – I have been using a teeny sample of the green color corrector & I love it. Redness is my main skin concern these days and I’ll dab this on the corners of my nose and over any healing blemishes before applying foundation and it truly helps neutralize my skin tone.

Milk Makeup Holographic Stick ($28) – THIS IS THE BEST PRODUCT THAT HAS EVER TOUCHED MY FACE. I swiped this stick across my cheeks in store the other day, and I have never felt more like an angel alien sent from the galaxy (my main beauty aesthetic) than I did with the Milk Holographic Stick. It’s shimmery and lavender and catches the light super well and flattered my cool skintone and is truly my top priority purchase right now. Infuriatingly, it’s sold out online, but there were plenty in-store.

Since Christmas is fast approaching (20 day countdown, woo!) and I’ve finished wrapping nearly all of my gifts for the season, I thought I’d share a few things on my Christmas list for anyone who may still be fumbling for things to suggest to their grandmother. I have quite a few Christmases to attend every year – immediate family, bio-dad’s side of the family, mom’s side of the family, stepdad’s side of the family … you get the picture. I curate little wishlists to keep separate and send to each individual family group, to try and avoid overlap. This is one of those lists!

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Bold Lip, $28 – I bought myself the more neutral/pink Sephora Favorite lip set earlier in the year, but this one is more my style with brands I already know I love.

My Bucketlist, Journal by Axel and Ash, $40 (but $25 on Amazon!) – I have such an affinity for journals and planners and beautifully bound books, and I’d love to add this one to my collection.

Madewell x Saucony DXN Trainers, $75 – I tend to get myself a pair of Madewell x Saucony sneakers every year. My navy/red accent pair from 2015? 2014? are still happy, but my blush pair is about ready to be replaced – though I absolutely adore them – and I’m tempted by the gray pair. However, in high school my uniform included gray & white New Balance in an equally pale shade, so I don’t know if I’m ready to embrace it. Burgundy is my favorite of the Fall colors, so burgundy it is.

ban.do Lady of Leisure Getaway Bundle, $28 – I love the over-the-top girly print on this luggage tag & passport holder. Since I am saving for international travel in 2017, I have my eye on lots of different travel “necessities” this season.

Matt + Nat Hope Bag, $70 – My mouth has been watering for a Baggu Circle Purse all year, but I never bit. Now I’m glad I didn’t! Matt + Nat offers a vegan circle purse, 100% of the proceeds of which go to a charity of your choosing (among the options).

Kensie 3pc Expandable Luggage Set, $200 – Again, since I’m making travel plans for this year, I figured it was high time to attain a luggage set. The hard shell seems like a safe bet for my accident-prone self and, as usual, I’m drawn to the rose gold.

I am trying out using affiliate links, which means that I may earn a tiny commission if you click on a link or make a purchase through a link posted here - thanks Mom! As usual, I will never, ever praise a product I don't actually believe in.